SMITHSONLiN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY VOLUME 2, Number 5 Notes on the History and Material Culture of the Tonka^wa Indians William K. Jones SMITHSONIAN PRESS Washington: 1969 A Publication of the SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION United States National Museum LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CARD 71-601221 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFHCE, WASHINGTON : 1969 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 55 cents Acknowledgments Appreciation is expressed to the National Endovraient for the Humanities which, through its intern program, provided the financial support for my research and to John G. Ewers, senior ethnologist for the Smithsonian Institution, who suggested the study and guided my work. Many others aided, including Mr. George S. Metcalf, supervisor of the Processing Laboratory of the Smithsonian Office of Anthropology, Miss Helen R. Purde, assistant curator of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Medical Museum and Mrs. Sarah Jackson, of the National Archives and Records Service. For their technical information, my thanks to Mrs. Roxie G. Laybourne, zoologist, Bird and Mammal Laboratory, Division of Wild Life Re­ search, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wild Life, Department of Interior; Dr. Richard N. Jorgensen, principal wood technologist, Forest Products and Engineering Divi­ sion, Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; and Dr. Elson B. Helv/ig, patholo­ gist, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Contents Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii NOTES ON THE HISTORY AND MATERIAL CULTURE OF THE TONKAWA INDIANS .. 65 OBJECT DESCRIPTION 74 CONCLUSIONS 77 LITERATURE CITED 79 Illustrations (Follow page 70) FIGURES 1. Assistant Surgeon Henry McElderry, United States Army. Collector of the Tonkawa material described in this paper 2. Tonkawa quiver, bow, and arrows 3. Tonkawa arrow 4. Top, Tonkawa bow; middle, rattle or "haw-whootes"; bottom, girdle 5. Tonkawa bow and five arrows 6. Tonkawa trade tomahawk 7. Tonkawa trade tomahawk, detail of head 8. Tinder pouch and striker 9. Tonkawa wooden scraper handle 10. Tonkawa war drum and drum sticks 11. Tonkawa otter skin girdle 12. Top, Tonkawa head ornament; bottom, head ornament 13. Tonkawa head ornament 14. Tonkawa dolls, front view 15. Tonkawa dolls, back view 16. Tonkawa George Miles, an old army scout and the last chief of the Tonkawa 17. Tonkawa woman, Ocoya, wife of Standing Buffalo 18. Tonkawa shelter, Ponca Agency, Oklahoma, 1901 19. Tonkawa Lamar Richard's house, Ponca Agency, 1901 MAPS 1. Historic locations of the Tonkawa Indians 2. Location of the Tonkawa Massacre in 1862 3. Location of the Tonkawa Indian village near Fort Griffin Reserve, Texas, in 1871 Notes on the History and Material Culture of the Tonka^wa Indians By William K. Jones One of the litde-known tribes of central Texas was period of nearly 200 years, indicate that the Tonkawa the Tonkawa. Few objects made and used by the were not a large tribe. A Spanish estimate in 1778 Tonkawa are preserved in museum collections, and no gives 300 warriors. Sibley estimated the Tonkawa at description of traditional Tonkawa material culture, but 200 men in 1805, and the tribal population con­ based upon a study of actual specimens, has appeared tinued to decline thereafter. Heavy war losses, epi­ in the literature. Nevertheless, a small but unique col­ demics, and loss of tribal identity through marriages lection of Tonkawa materials has been a part of the outside the tribe, as well as other factors, contributed ethnological collections of the Smithsonian Institution to this decline. Of the sixty-two Tonkawa Indians for a century. It is unique, not only because it is the on the tribal rolls in 1961, only three individuals were earliest known Tonkawa collection, antedating the believed to be fullblood Tonkawa. (Swanton, 1952, extermination of the bison on the Southern Plains, p. 327; Hasskarl, 1962, p. 228.) but also because the time, place, and conditions under If archeological evidence of the Tonkawa exists, which the collection was made in the field are well it may be represented in the Toyah Focus of the Cen­ documented. In order to place this collection in a tral Texas Aspect. Dr, Edward B. Jelks states that if meaningful cultural and chronological context I have the Toyah Focus material excavated at the Kyle Site, prefaced my description of the specimens with a brief located on the Brazos River just above Whitney Dam historical sketch of the Tonkawa, with particular in Hill County, Texas, can be related to a historic emphasis upon the years immediately preceding the group, it is probably Tonkawa and/or Jumano. But acquisition of these materials by Dr. McElderry at he also believes that this focus may have come to an Fort Griffin, Texas, in 1868. end in the late prehistoric period and another, yet Although the Tonkawa call themselves Titskan undescribed, group may have taken its place. This wdtitch, "the most human people," the tribal name is later group, represented by triangular arrow points, derived from the Waco name for these people, Tonka- Goliad Plain pottery, and other artifact styles, "may weya, meaning "they all stay together." The Co­ represent the archeological remains of the historic manche and Kiowa, northwestern neighbors and and protohistoric Tonkawa . ." Radiocarbon dates longtime enemies of the Tonkawa, knew them by from the Toyah Focus at the Kyle Site range from names which, in translation, meant "man-eating A.D. 1276 ±165 years to A.D. 1561 ±130 years. men" or "maneaters." The Tonkawan language (Jelks, 1962, p. 99.) apparently was affiliated with Karankawa, Come- The historic record of the Tonkawa Indians begins crudo, and Cotoname through the common Co- with Francisco de Jesus Maria. In 1691 he included ahuiltecan stock, although too litde is known of the them with the Yojuane as enemies of the Hasinai. languages of those extinct tribes to establish with (Hodge, 1910, p. 779.) Earlier meetings between the certainty the closeness of their relationship to Tonkawas and Europeans are questionable. Cabeza de Tonkawan. Vaca may have encountered a Tonkawa subgroup in Available data on Tonkawa population, covering a his flight through Texas in 1542, and Joutel of 65 66 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY VOLUME 2 LaSalle's party reported hearing about a group called buffalo alone, besides its flesh, which takes first place among the Meghy, possibly the Mayeye, another subgroup, healthful and savory meats, supplies them liberally with what­ ever they desire in the way of conveniences. The brains they in 1687. (Sjoberg, 1953, p. 281.) use to soften skins; the horns for spoons and drinking vessels; The first French encounter came in 1719, when the shoulder bones to dig and to clear off the land; the tendons Benard de la Harpe, while carrying out orders to for thread and for bow-strings; the hoof, as glue for arrows; from enter into trade with the Spanish and to explore the mane they make ropes and girths; from the wool, garters, western Louisiana, came into contact with the belts, and various ornaments. The skin furnishes harness, lassos, shields, tents, shirts, leggins, shoes, and blankets for protection Tancaoye, the Tonkawa. M. Du Rivage, La Harpe's against the cold—truly valuable treasures, easily acquired, lieutenant, met these Indians, along with representa­ quietly possessed, and lighdy missed, which liberally supply an tives of several other tribes seventy leagues up the infinite number of people, whom we consider poverty-stricken, Red River from Kadohadocho. (Smith, 1959, p. 375- with an excess of those necessities which perpetuate our struggles, 76.) Herbert E. Bolton, in his discussion of the anxieties, and discords. (Bolton, 1941a, p. 279-80). Tonkawa in the Handbook of the American Indians, In the same letter de Meziere describes the offensive states that the Red River may have been a temporary weapons and defensive armament carried by these location for the Tonkawa. (Hodge, 1910, p. 780.) people. The former are firearms, bows, and spears; During the early period of Spanish contact with the the latter of "skins, shields, and leather helmets with Tonkaway-speaking Mayeye, Yojuane, Ervipiane, horns and gaudy feathers." (Ibid, p. 278.) and Tonkawa, these Indians were living a nomadic By 1778 the Mayeye division of the Tonkawa had life along a broad belt from the San Antonio River on separated themselves from the rest of the group and the southwest to the Neches River on the northeast had moved to an area near the mouths of the Colorado and extending out about 125 miles either side of the and Brazos Rivers. Here they joined the Karankawan Camino Real between San Antonio and Nacogdoches. Cocos Indians and by 1805 were apparently com­ They are reported being seen frequently along this pletely incorporated into this tribe. During this same road between 1727 and 1730, and from 1745 to period the rest of the Tonkawan groups began to be 1762 three missions were established for the Tonkawas considered a single tribe. (Sjoberg, 1953, p. 283.) on the San Xavier River, San Gabriel River today. The Tonkawa were wandering between the Trinity (See Map 1.) (Bolton, 1914b, p. 327.) and Colorado Rivers in 1805. The approximately 200 Up to the late 1750s relations between the Tonkawa men of the tribe are described as good hunters prey­ and Spanish were fairly peaceful, but in the spring of ing primarily on buffalo and deer. They used the 1758 the Tonkawa for the only time in their history bow and were excellent horsemen. Their relationship joined the Comanches to attack the Lipan Mission, with the Spanish seemed alternately friendly and on the San Saba River, near the present town of hostile, and their economy was still based on gathering Menard, Texas. (Dunn, 1914, p. 404—11.) During the wild fruit and hunting. They are described as a next ten years the Tonkawa lived along the San physically strong, athletic people.